


the sheets don't smell like you anymore

by tostitos



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Emotional Infidelity, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, so good luck reading it, taeyong isn't actually present though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 19:17:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11789703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tostitos/pseuds/tostitos
Summary: "Let someone who really cares for you treat you right," Jaehyun whispers. He cups Dongyoung's cheeks and wipes under his eyes with his thumbs.Dongyoung knows Jaehyun is talking about himself, can see it in those gorgeous eyes that make his heart hurt. He knows it's dangerous and wrong to entertain the thought of Jaehyun filling in the spaces Taeyong has left.(Dongyoung is planning his and Taeyong's wedding all by himself and he wonders if it's worth it to stay with a man who's never around).





	the sheets don't smell like you anymore

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this at 3am and idk what 3am me was doing but i kind of like it so i'm posting it  
> (warning: i don't write angst for a reason and that's because it always turns out bad sooo...)  
> also what is marriage planning?

In the movies, it'd be raining outside; a sad piano instrumental would play; the camera would pan over the spacious bedroom and close in on the nearly unruffled half of the king sized bed in the very center.

Dongyoung is used to waking up alone and even for a man who's been in this relationship for three years, engaged for eight months, it stops being something to cry over after a while. Now, he just rolls out of bed, goes through his morning routine, and ignores the explanatory post-it note stuck on the marble counter next to the Keurig machine.

It's been three days since Taeyong left and Dongyoung still hasn't looked at the note. The excuses - oh, sorry, the perfectly valid reasons - are all the same, just packaged differently. Sometimes a client decides they aren't satisfied with a Skype call and wants him to fly out for a consultation. Sometimes the higher ups need him at another one of their Korean branches. In the end, it doesn't matter because Taeyong isn't home and he doesn't even think to call any more just to check in.

They argue about it sometimes, how Taeyong is apparently so busy that he can't manage a five minute phone call, how Taeyong would rather leave in the early morning like a ghost rather than pat Dongyoung awake to kiss him goodbye, but those arguments never end in anything but a bigger argument over who is more hurt by Taeyong's job situation.

And now Dongyoung is okay. Happy? Maybe not. But okay is good enough.

Sitting on the two seat bench tucked beneath a window in their living room, Dongyoung sips his hazelnut coffee and watches cars roll down the street. He took the day off weeks ago, but as he sits there he wonders if he shouldn't go in to work anyway. It'll be a much better use of his time, healthier than letting his thoughts wander.

The doorbell ringing takes him by surprise and he gets up to open the door. Hand on the knob, he looks through the peephole and the man he spies on the other side of the door makes his stomach drop to his feet.

"The wedding consultation," he says with abject horror. How could he forget? They are supposed to talk color schemes, decor, and floral arrangements today. He scheduled it because he thought Taeyong would be home.

The doorbell rings again and Dongyoung quickly undoes the lock and pulls the door open.

"Jaehyun, hello," he greets, trying to pull his emotions together. "I totally lost track of time. Please come in." Stepping back, he waves the wedding planner in with the hand still clutching the handle of his mug.

With a charming smile and an amicable chuckle, Jaehyun steps into the spacious condo. "It's no problem at all. Are you alright to go over some stuff now?"

Define alright.

Dongyoung nods, shutting and locking the door after Jaehyun has neatly arranged his loafers in the entranceway. "Yeah, of course."

"Is Taeyong joining us today?" Jaehyun asks, looking around the house he's seen plenty of times before.

Unable to help himself, Dongyoung scoffs. His fingers clutch his mug tighter. "No, he's busy as always."

"Hm, that's unfortunate." But he doesn't sound like he cares much. Jaehyun turns around with a light smile that eases Dongyoung's annoyance. "Shall we get down to business?"

The settle at the dining table that's hardly ever used. Going over the color scheme is first. The wedding is planned for next spring and will be a small affair rather than a grand celebration. As fitting for the season, Dongyoung wants something light and airy, sweet and pastel. It might be cheesy but he wants flowers covering every inch of the church and to wear a white tux. He wants the stereotypical fairytale wedding. But one critical necessity for that are two people to marry, and at this point Dongyoung can't trust Taeyong to show up at the altar.

"Do you want to keep these to show Taeyong later?" Nearly an hour later, Jaehyun pushes the color swatches they're considering closer to Dongyoung. Peach and pale yellow.

He meets Dongyoung's gaze and his eyes are filled with such softness, and not even a hint of the pity Dongyoung deserves. His eyes make Dongyoung's heart hurt and his eyes warm, make him crave for something better than what he has now.

Nodding, Dongyoung reaches across the table to slide the swatches closer to his side of the table. "If you don't mind, thank you." His voice wavers as he speaks. He picks up his empty mug and stares down at the brown starting to stain the interior. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure."

When Dongyoung gets up and walks into the nearby kitchen, Jaehyun does the same.

"Do you have any French Vanilla?" Jaehyun asks, walking over to inspect the rack of K-cups. Back when Dongyoung still cared if Taeyong was actively involved in the planning of their wedding and would cancel last minute when the older man got tied up at work, Jaehyun always came over to talk and have coffee anyway. To get to know at least one half of the couple he'd be helping, he said.

Dongyoung doesn't mind the man wandering around his kitchen; at this point, he's much more of a friend than a simple wedding planner.

He opens a cabinet full of cups and mugs. "We should. You know I'm not the biggest fan of the French Vanilla. I only buy it for you."

"What the hell is Coconut Mocha?"

Dongyoung laughs as he takes down a striped black and white mug. He doesn't think Jaehyun noticed, but he really needed a break from the wedding talk and he more than prefers to defend his available coffee. "I like to try new things. Is that a problem?"

Jaehyun doesn't look away from the tiny cup in his hand. "No, I think you should get out and try new things. Just maybe not with whatever this crap is."

Shaking his head, Dongyoung walks over to his wedding planner. "Tell me what you think I should do then." He plucks the cup out of his hand and replaces it in the rack. He pulls out a cup of French Vanilla and moves to the Keurig machine.

As he puts the cup in and starts to make the coffee, a hand stretches past and grabs the counter or his left side and then another on his right side, caging him in.

"J-Jaehyun?"

"I think you should leave your fiancé and try with someone else," Jaehyun says in a low voice that lights a blush under Dongyoung's cheeks, his breath fanning over the back of the older man's neck.

There's a part of Dongyoung that protests, that feels he and Taeyong can overcome their small issues. But louder than that part is the one that agrees with Jaehyun.

"W-What?" Dongyoung can't tear his eyes away from the coffee dripping steadily into the mug, not when Jaehyun is so close, so warm against his back.

Jaehyun wraps his arms around Dongyoung's waist and rests his forehead on his shoulder. "Don't you think you deserve better, Dongyoung?"

He does. He deserves someone who calls. He deserves someone who makes an effort to at least come home on the weekends. He deserves someone who doesn't forget their anniversary until two weeks later and who’s around to plan their wedding. He deserves better.

"I-I..." Sucking in a deep breath, Dongyoung can't do anything to stop the tear that escapes his eye. And after the first comes a second, and a third, until he's sobbing and Jaehyun gently turns him around and holds him to his chest.

Jaehyun runs gentle fingers through his hair, murmuring sweet nothings into his ear, and when Dongyoung's sobs calm to the occasional sniffle, he pushes the older man back by his shoulders enough to see his face.

"Let someone who really cares for you treat you right," Jaehyun whispers. He cups Dongyoung's cheeks and wipes under his eyes with his thumbs.

Dongyoung knows Jaehyun is talking about himself, can see it in those gorgeous eyes that make his heart hurt. He knows it's dangerous and wrong to entertain the thought of Jaehyun filling in the spaces Taeyong has left.

And it's even more dangerous to allow his eyes to slip shut when Jaehyun meaningfully brushes his thumb over his bottom lip.

"I'm sorry. I know it isn't fair to spring this on you like this."

In the movies, something would happen to give Dongyoung a moment of pause: Taeyong would call; Jaehyun would say something that implied he actually didn't have genuine feelings for him; Taeyong would call. Taeyong would call; Taeyong would _come home_.

But he doesn't - of course - and Jaehyun kisses Dongyoung's nose, his forehead, his cheeks, his ear lobe, his jaw, every inch of his face, before finding his lips. Dongyoung's heart flips in his chest and he leans into the kiss, chasing after Jaehyun's affection like a starved man would for food.

Jaehyun returns his enthusiasm equally, moving his lips against Dongyoung's and running his hands down the older man's shoulders to his waist. He holds Dongyoung close, like something precious, and while there's passion in his kiss, it's also filled with a sweetness that makes Dongyoung want to cry again.

Much too soon, it’s over. Exhaling through his nose, Dongyoung presses his tingling lips together and peels his eyes open. If his breath hadn’t already been stolen, the way Jaehyun looks at him like he's the sun, the moon, and every other star in the sky would leave him gasping.

His heart beats rapidly in his ears. He tried so hard to not think of the other man in this way during all those times he felt lonely and unloved, too afraid that he was reacting to feelings Jaehyun didn't actually have (and too afraid to think of what that meant for his current relationship). He so badly wants to give Jaehyun his heart...but even if Taeyong's absent both physically and emotionally, he still feels bad about letting his love for his fiancé be replaced with affection for another man.

"I should go," Jaehyun breaks their calm silence. "Give you time to think."

Dongyoung knows that he has a point but he still frowns. He can still feel Jaehyun’s hands on his waist after he pulls away.

His upset face makes Jaehyun smile and shake his head. "If you want to work things out with Taeyong, I won't mind. But I want you to be absolutely sure of if you'll leave him or stay, okay?"

He's right; Dongyoung can't make this decision when his emotions are running wild. "I know. I don't know when Taeyong will return but I'll call you?"

Jaehyun nods and leans in to peck Dongyoung on the cheek. "Take as much time as your need."

Dongyoung stays in the kitchen as Jaehyun returns to the dining room to collect his things. He only walks out when he hears the other man slipping on his shoes.

"Don't stress too much," Jaehyun says, glancing up at Dongyoung with concern as he tries to get his shoe over his heel. "I know you get too inside your own head. Relax. Drink your gross coconut coffee. Take a nap..."

Laughing, Dongyoung shakes his head. "I will. Drive safe."

Finally getting his shoes on, Jaehyun straightens his back. He opens his arms for a hug and Dongyoung falls into them without hesitation.

"I will."

They don't kiss in the doorway and Dongyoung doesn't watch Jaehyun walk away.

In the movies, Dongyoung would rip his door open and chase after Jaehyun and tell him that he's already made his decision and that he'll call Taeyong right now.

But this isn't a movie and his life doesn't come with a script.

Dongyoung wanders back into the kitchen and takes the striped mug from the coffee machine. He takes a sip of French Vanilla and thinks he can get used to the taste.


End file.
